WhatsApp upgrades CarPlay, Android Auto, adds iPad sign-ups

WhatsApp is rolling out a batch of new features, headlined by a significantly upgraded Apple CarPlay and Android Auto experience — the software that lets a smartphone wirelessly connect to a car’s infotainment system. The Meta-owned messaging app was already accessible through both in-car systems, but users were previously limited to composing messages and placing calls. The updated integration now lets drivers also hear and reply to messages, view their call history, and pull up favorite contacts, bringing WhatsApp’s in-car functionality much closer to how the app behaves on a phone.

The company is also opening up direct account creation on iPad. WhatsApp launched an iPad app last year, and the company says users have been asking since then for a way to set up an account without first linking it to a phone. Now, people can register for and configure a WhatsApp account directly within the iPad app. A phone number and the ability to receive a one-time passcode are still required to complete registration, but once that’s done, the iPad account will work as a standalone account and won’t be linked to a primary phone as a companion device, a WhatsApp spokesperson told TechCrunch.

Two smaller additions round out the update. Users can now share a song directly from Apple Music or Spotify to their WhatsApp Status, a feature the company says is meant to let people express themselves and make their status more unique. And PDFs can now be opened directly inside WhatsApp without downloading them first; once opened, users can make lightweight edits, such as highlighting and annotating, right within the chat. That editing capability is currently available on the web and desktop versions of the app, WhatsApp says.

The features, announced on Wednesday, add to a growing list of updates WhatsApp has rolled out in recent months. A few weeks ago, the company introduced usernames, letting people share a profile without disclosing their phone number. In late May, Meta launched a subscription plan for the messaging app, WhatsApp Plus, which unlocks profile customization, super reactions, and story insights — launched alongside similar “Plus” offerings for Instagram and Facebook.

Why it matters

The update pushes WhatsApp further toward being a full cross-device communication hub — car, tablet, and desktop alike — rather than a phone-first app, deepening the daily habit that its newer subscription and monetization features depend on.